Scrap Happy April!
Scraps
Rose continues to model the clothing I am making for her friend in Quebec, and this month I used a scrap of cotton with beautiful knitted lace on it to make an under-petticoat. Next I made a corset, starting with a piece of brocade from an upholstery sample book.
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Steam
I basted in a silk lining, overcast the two fabrics together and then steamed it around a small doll-shaped sandbag…
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bind
…and then stitched a yellow silk ribbon along the top and bottom to finish the edges. I liked the woven writing on the selvedge of the lining so I left them showing, and inserted metal hook-and-eye loops along the centre back.
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Busk
…I made a tiny busk from a coffee stir-stick and a bit of ribbon…
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Belle
Rose feels very grand though she would like me to hurry and finish the sack back gown so she didn’t feel so much like she was exposing her underwear to the world…and she would like me to do something about the drooping lace of her petticoat!
ScrapHappy is a group of bloggers using up scraps of anything – no new materials…Anything made of genuine scraps is eligible, and posts come out once a month on the 15th!
Here are the links for the ScrapHappy people – headed by Kate and Gun, who devised and run the group –
Kate, Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Nanette, Lynn, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Debbierose, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean,
Joanne, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Connie, Bekki, Pauline, Sue L,
Sunny and Kjerstin (me!)
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Quimper Hittys 
Lovely, she looks beautifully upright and elegantly corseted. Once she has her gown, will you give her a lace headdress with lappets?
Thank you very much, katechiconi. The outfit is destined for a very elegant lady of a certain age, with powdered hair and an upright stance…Perhaps a headdress with lappets is just the finishing touch, but I will have to see what is in my lace scrap stash!
This is so gorgeous. I don’t sew but it’s interesting seeing how you made this.
Thank you very much, it is a delightful project, entirely composed of scraps! Hopefully the outfit will be completed next month – the corset took much longer than I thought!
Mamie is counting the days…no, not the ones in confinement…the ones between her and this fabulous corset! You know her roots don’t seem to fade…she is sooooo drawn to yesteryears’ elegance! Sure, she enjoys the convenience of technological advancement…especially communication with friends all over in this crisis, but she just can’t get over the warmth of good old ways! She has lived through hardships over the years so she sure appreciates the idea of using every bit… Especially so by your talented, loving hands. She relishes the thought of wearing all that love! I believe she’s setting a ‘happy’ scrap pile for you ❤️ You make our days so much better, thank you, thank you, thank you.
Dear Mamie is so patient, and we are doing the best we can to make her a beautiful outfit entirely composed of linen, pieces of silk and brocade, and scraps of lace that you sent us! A lace handkerchief with the label “do your magic upon this” is the cause of all this fun, so we thank you!
Oh! this is going to be such a precious ensemble…it already is. Seeing what you’ve created delights my inner person so much. I love working with scraps and am so inspired by what you’ve created. Thank you so much for continuing to share the process with us.
I also love working with remnants and scraps! I am glad that Hittys are so small, I can turn the smallest little scrap into something delightful!
This is truly “heirloom sewing”! So lovely!! Thanks so much for sharing your creativity.
Thank you very much, and we are happy to share! The best thing would be to inspire more creative fun with sewing and scraps!
Rose looks absolutely Regal. Just beautiful.
Thank you so much, Rose is enjoy the opportunity to model this outfit – she is the closest in size to the recipient doll, though she is somewhat padded about the middle to get a closer profile!
that knitted lace is beyond impressive, tell Rose it is worth showing off to the world. And a corset no less, amazing!
It is wonderful lace, I am very impressed, and happy to have it on view, Rose is just a little concerned about 18 Th century etiquette!
well, as usual where do I start…every tiny bit of this ensemble is amazing. I was despairing (and ready to throw in the proverbial towel) over a bit of ruffle making and then I see the precision and beauty of your stitching. and I am inspired to give it another try…to be a bit more exacting. thank you for the inspiration!!
Ruffles are not my friend either! Have you tried pulling the gathering threads tight, wetting the ruffle, and then letting it dry? Then cut the gathering thread, and pin into place before sewing…you might have good luck that way! Or write me privately, I might be able to help!
I rather like the lace of the petticoat showing, and I’m happy to see the corset in finished position, but I can understand how she will want the outside part over it. This was amazing to see. I never know how fingers can make those little bits, but your work is beautiful.
Thanks very much – we are enjoying the project, and it is nice to hear what you and other people say about it! I don’t know how my fingers do it either, but perhaps experience makes it feasible. I was saying to a friend that I am not afraid of cloth, and I can fix cloth mistakes without worry! I am sure that approach helps me!
For me the lace showing is what makes the dress great! You are really working with small pieces! Beautiful!
How did I miss this comment?! Sorry about that, and thank you so much!